The United States and Britain want to see a new, multi-ethnic government replace the Taliban movement.

Islamabad wants Pashtuns, who form Afghanistan's largest ethnic grouping and who dominate much of Pakistan's border regions, to take a leading role in a future government. Tehran wants the minority Shi'ite Muslims to be represented.

Straw said he wanted to hear both governments' perceptions of the situation in Afghanistan and the problems of refugees on their borders.

He said he would not flinch from raising with Iran the issue of "terrorist" groups.

Iran stands accused by the United States of sponsoring terrorism by backing Lebanon's Hizbollah and the Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

It will be Straw's second visit to the region since the September 11 attacks on the United States.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsin Aminzadeh said on Tuesday that Iran and Pakistan had narrowed their differences over the political future of Afghanistan.

He told a news conference after two days of talks with Pakistani officials that Iran wanted a broad-based, multi-ethnic government in Afghanistan chosen by Afghans, and that he found the "same emphasis" given by Pakistani authorities.